I am so glad to be here. This is the first time that I write something like this. I would be glad to receive your kind comments. I appreciate your time and attention!
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Academic Statement of Purpose
Back in high school I was good at almost every course, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, geology and so on. So naturally it is hard for me to choose between arts and science. I guess I was somehow influenced by my family. My uncle is a professor teaching physics in a university in my hometown, and my father used to be a biology teacher. But I always tell my friends about this one interesting chemistry class I had, in which the teacher demonstrated sulfur burning in pure oxygen, with a purple flame, which looked a lot like some kind of witchcraft in the Lord of the Rings, and it triggered my interest.
However, Chemistry is not the major I chose in college. After years of study, I had developed a great interest in basic sciences and mathematics. And I was amazed by the role they played. This is why I chose engineering as my major, specifically chemical engineering, since it incorporates all my interests. Besides, as an engineer, I would be capable of creating innovations and solving technological problems, which would impact the life of common man in surprising ways.
During the undergraduate study in XXX, I have undertaken various courses like heat transfer, fluid mechanics, mass transfer, unit operations in chemical engineering, process control, chemical reaction engineering, chemical system engineering among many others which have introduced me to various theoretical concepts and methods which are widely used in the chemical industry.
Of course the most important task as an undergraduate was to lay a firm groundwork in terms of the basic knowledge and experimental techniques so that more advanced studies could be pursued. Based on this, I decided to dedicate myself to all kinds of learning, to understand the principle underlying each chemical phenomenon and how each principle was derived. To reach this goal, I had to gain a thorough understanding of all the textbooks and supplement my classroom education with information from the internet, the library, the lectures and all possible sources. This way of learning allowed me to become familiar not only with the core courses mentioned above, but also quite a few courses not offered to students of majoring in chemical engineering such as Polymer Chemistry, Chromatography Analysis and Fine Chemicals Synthesis. My dedicated academic efforts paid off. I was awarded scholarships for four times, including one highly competitive Sinopec Scholarship (2 people each year). And later I was allowed to continue my study as a graduate student without taking the qualification exam due to academic excellence.
I've been working in Dr. S's group ever since the diploma project. The project was about the research of multi-phase flow, using computational fluid dynamics software fluent. My job was primarily focused on the gas-solid flow in the stripper, right above the riser reactor, which is the essential part of the whole fluidized catalytic cracking process. With no basics of fluent, I managed to learn and run the simulation successfully within a month and explained the non-ideal flow behavior. Based on all the related research I wrote my thesis in the next months, and it was later awarded Excellence.
Dr. S is currently the president of our university. She's also a professor in our department. Our group is mainly focused on catalytic cracking. We have a pilot scale riser reactor in our engineering building, which is quite rare for a university research group. The riser can give us first-hand experiment data since it has no difference in design compared with an industrial scale riser. There's also a related cold flow model next to it, which is used to test and optimize the particle distribution in the system. Whenever a new design of the system is proposed, we will send it to Simulation Lab, in which computer simulation is applied to see if it is feasible. If the result is promising, later experiment will be conducted. Our group also performs research on FCC catalyst and catalyst promoter. Related research area includes heterogeneous catalysis, reaction engineering. All kinds of advanced instruments are purchased, such as SAM (Scanning Auger Microprobe) SEM, and AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer). A series of research on cleaner production, alternative feedstock and environmental protection is also in progress.
I am very proud to be included in a comprehensive group like this, since it can and will provide me a lot of opportunities, and I can learn all kinds of knowledge as well. For example, I spent the last summer vacation in B for a training program. It was an advanced training course for Process Industrial Modeling System (PIMS). It's very useful software which enables the oil refinery to use energy and raw materials more efficiently. Since the scale of a refinery plant is usually very large, given all the required data, it can save millions of dollars with several clicks. The lecturer was a senior engineer. Once in a while he told us his successful stories as anecdotes. The story always ended up with the instant improvement of the factory's efficiency and his fabulous income. It was then I realized the power of computer simulation. The model could be used to design, operate, modify or optimize the process, which is highly effective and profitable. Of course this is only one of the opportunities provided by Dr. S and other professors in the group. I benefited greatly from the courses.
Entering the XXX would definitely open a new chapter in my life. XXX is a famous and respected university, and I am convinced that I am a worthy candidate for the program. As a master degree candidate I have spent a year in our lab, getting familiar with all the equipments and research methods, which are not available for undergraduate students. This research background may give me important advantages over other applicants. I also have the experience of working as teaching assistant to my advisor in Chemical Reaction Engineering. This may enable me to contribute to your program through my teaching assistantship. Besides, I have evolved a strong ability to perform independent research. Together with my sound academic foundation, my important research potential will make me very successful in your program as in my past programs. I also want my future career to provide people a better life by solving problems closely related to everyday living. With this aim, I chose chemical engineering as my major and want to fulfill my dream in XXX.
Chemistry, however, is not the major I chose in college.
After years of study, I have developed a great interest in basic sciences and mathematics, and I was amazed by the role they played.
Besides, as an engineer, I would be capable of creating innovations and solving technological problems, which would impact the lives of common man in surprising ways. (for example?)
This way of learning allowed me to become familiar not only with the core courses mentioned above, but also quite a few courses not offered to students of majoring in chemical engineering,...
And later I was allowed to continue my study as a graduate student without taking the qualification exam due to academic excellence. That's great!!
...have spent a year in our lab, getting familiar with all the equipments and research methods, which are not available for undergraduate students.
This research background may give me important advantages over other applicants. I would not say this, as it makes you sound sort of um,...well, don't say 'over other applicants', say ''may improve my chances of being accepted..."
Hi Dening
You have not mentioned your research interests. All that you have said concerns your research experience.
Did you join Dr S' group because you wanted to have some research experience or because you were interested in it? In case of the latter or both, just mention a line or two that you really enjoy studying multi-phase flow or that you were always attracted to the applications of CFD.
If it's the first case, then you have to explain your research interests briefly.
"I also want my future career to provide people a better life by solving problems closely related to everyday living"...a doctor, lawyer, politician, anyone can say that line. so be more specific. tell them precisely what you want to do after your PhD.
Entering the XXX would definitely open a new chapter in my life. XXX is a famous and respected university, and I am convinced that I am a worthy candidate for the program
Again, a very general sentence. Say exactly why you want to join that university. Try to link the reasons with your research interests.
I think your essay is a good first draft. You have an excellent background and coupled with your experience, you will make a very strong case.
So, write another draft keeping those points in mind and post it here.
Cheers!!!
